It’s Halloween and there’s so much news! But the main piece of gossip is that I’M BAAAAACK!
So, I had an operation on October 6th and have been recovering from it ever since…all while feeling dreadful about not emailing everyone or saying much about it at all online.
People depend on my newsletters, surely?1
Getting away from the feeling that you need to please everyone is hard isn’t it? I do my best! But it’s always a bloody work in progress, right?
So maybe I should say: I'M BACK and I’m proud of myself for not keeping up with my editorial calendar in the time it took me to really come back to myself.
There have been plans brewing in my head during all that bed rest though, so here we go:
Main giant news: 🥳 my online shop is open again! 🥳
I’m emailing it out to you all as a sort of soft launch as I haven’t announced it anywhere on social media yet. I think shipping and all should work properly - feel free to give it a whirl and let me know!
Forthcoming items that need to be finished before the proper launch:
3 more mixed media talisman tins 🪄
3 handbound art journals 🪡📖
4 zines 📖 🏳️🌈
No weavings as yet but I’m doodling through ideas for a new collection. 🧶
Fake Breakdown Crafts: woven wall tapestries, zines, altered tins and art journals. Let’s go shopping.
Things to do with X
On Instagram2 I’ve started sharing a series loosely called Things to Do with X. It’s coming from a place where I own so many art supplies and have such trouble throwing all kinds of things away…that I thought to myself right: instead of moaning about this situation, get proactive.
This first post is one of many on Things to Do with the Flow Magazine Book for Paper Lovers. I have a solid ten years of these special edition magazines in the attic, in various stages of completeness. It seemed right to start there.
I’ll be branching out into all the kinds of junk I own 👀3: paper scraps, birthday cards, old magazines, various kinds of textiles, old packaging, travel finds, paint, punch needle kits…and lots more…
Book arts and Niksnieuwjaar: a group show in Westerlo
This repurposing series loosely ties into a local bookarts show I’m taking part of, where 30 artists are let loose to celebrate the release of a book called #Niksnieuwjaar '(Nothing New Year, by Marlies Van Wemmel).
I’ll be decorating the cover and spine binding of my book using any art techniques I want, provided that I don’t buy anything new for the project! The 30 books will be on display at OXOt Westerlo from 17-18-19 November, 2023.
Basically, author Marlies Van Wemmel took on the challenge of not buying anything new for a whole year. No new clothes, kitchenware or fabric softener, for example. Only sharing, swapping or buying second-hand was allowed. This book is a collection of everything experienced through the year, what lessons she learned, and what tips she has to offer.
Really loving The Sketchbook Library of Ireland’s pilot project
I was very kindly invited to take part of the Sketchbook Library of Ireland’s very first pilot project! I really hope this takes off & is wildly successful because it’s such a cool idea.
What I really love about it is that it’s not affiliated with any art and design universities or art college courses. Yes, there are sketchbook libraries in collections all around Ireland but in order to have your work included there you have to be a student.
There are so many people who never went to art school (like me) and whose work could be lost to time and space. This project believes that people deserve a space in the visual history of our little country, even if you have no formal training.
This is how it works:
You order one of our custom-designed sketchbooks online and receive along with it a list of thematic prompts: Choose one or discard them entirely. It’s up to you.
Here’s the genius part—your sketchbook has a UIN (Unique Identification Number), so you’ll upload some details to an online catalogue, like search terms and your bio. Then you’ll mail it back to The Sketchbook Library of Ireland Project for the next part of its life: all sketchbooks are catalogued and kept. There’s no jury, no judgment.
All these sketchbooks—made and mailed in from all over Ireland, will collectively form a library of sorts. Remember that UIN? That means that visitors can just search the library by theme, figure out what they want to view, and your sketchbook will be found.
Want to see more sketchbooks? Check out Charlie’s utterly bonkers but genius project: 100 SKETCHBOOKS!
Wildlife gardening goals: no-dig gardening
On Notes I’m going to be sharing my gardening goals, and, more importantly, how I’m planning on achieving them. Goal number one: creating a ‘no dig’ garden in the ‘bee garden’ part of my garden.
Why I’m doing it: that whole section of the garden is completely strangled by bindweed. UGH. I refuse to let it win! So what’s ‘no-dig’ gardening? Find out here:
Finally:
Thank you for reading!
For my paid subscribers later in the week I’ll be sharing downloadable, printable art materials and an entire zine (about the Phantom of the Opera!). I’m also working away on poems like this one.
Feel free to share this email far and wide!
Until next time,
Jessica
Don’t answer that.
Although honestly, I’m dithering about between Instagram and Tik Tok. I feel like it’s better to be more focused on a social media platform like these, whereas I’m just showing up with an everything everywhere all at once kind of vibe.
Sidenote: hoarding is real and not in any way funny. Do you need help? Start here. I also want to suggest Clutterbug.